Fears and Phobias

The roller coaster hesitates for a split second at the peak of its steep track
after a long, slow climb. You know what's about to happen — and there's no way
to avoid it now. It's time to hang onto the handrail, palms sweating, heart racing,
and brace yourself for the wild ride down.

What Is Fear?

Fear is one of the most basic human emotions. It is programmed into the nervous
system and works like an instinct. From the time we're infants, we are equipped with
the survival instincts necessary to respond with fear when we sense danger or feel
unsafe.

Fear helps protect us. It makes us alert to danger and prepares us to deal with
it. Feeling afraid is very natural — and helpful — in some situations.
Fear can be like a warning, a signal that cautions us to be careful.

Like all emotions, fear can be mild, medium, or intense, depending on the situation
and the person. A feeling of fear can be brief or it can last longer.

How Fear Works

When we sense danger, the brain reacts instantly, sending signals that activate
the nervous system. This causes physical responses, such as a faster heartbeat, rapid
breathing, and an increase in blood pressure. Blood pumps to muscle groups to prepare
the body for physical action (such as running or fighting). Skin sweats to keep the
body cool. Some people might notice sensations in the stomach, head, chest, legs,
or hands. These physical sensations of fear can be mild or strong.

This response is known as "fight or flight" because that is exactly what the body
is preparing itself to do: fight off the danger or run fast to get away. The body
stays in this state of fight–flight until the brain receives an "all clear"
message and turns off the response.

Sometimes fear is triggered by something that is startling or unexpected (like
a loud noise), even if it's not actually dangerous. That's because the fear reaction
is activated instantly — a few seconds faster than the thinking part of the
brain can process or evaluate what's happening. As soon as the brain gets enough information
to realize there's no danger ("Oh, it's just a balloon bursting — whew!"), it
turns off the fear reaction. All this can happen in seconds.

Fears People Have

Fear is the word we use to describe our emotional reaction to something that seems
dangerous. But the word "fear" is used in another way, too: to name something a person
often feels afraid of.

People fear things or situations that make them feel unsafe or unsure. For instance,
someone who isn't a strong swimmer might have a fear of deep water. In this case,
the fear is helpful because it cautions the person to stay safe. Someone could overcome
this fear by learning how to swim safely.

A fear can be healthy if it cautions a person to stay safe around something that
could be dangerous. But sometimes a fear is unnecessary and causes more caution than
the situation calls for.

Many people have a fear of public
speaking. Whether it's giving a report in class, speaking at an assembly, or reciting
lines in the school play, speaking in front of others is one of the most common fears
people have.

People tend to avoid the situations or things they fear. But this doesn't help
them overcome fear — in fact, it can be the reverse. Avoiding something scary
reinforces a fear and keeps it strong.

People can overcome unnecessary fears by giving themselves the chance to learn
about and gradually get used to the thing or situation they're afraid of. For example,
people who fly despite a fear of flying can become used to unfamiliar sensations like
takeoff or turbulence. They learn what to expect and have a chance to watch what others
do to relax and enjoy the flight. Gradually (and safely) facing fear helps someone
overcome it.

Fears During Childhood

Certain fears are normal during childhood. That's because fear can be a natural
reaction to feeling unsure and vulnerable — and much of what children experience
is new and unfamiliar.

Young kids often have fears of the dark, being alone, strangers, and monsters or
other scary imaginary creatures. School-aged kids might be afraid when it's stormy
or at a first sleepover. As they grow and learn, with the support of adults, most
kids are able to slowly conquer these fears and outgrow them.

Some kids are more sensitive to fears and may have a tough time overcoming them.
When fears last beyond the expected age, it might be a sign that someone is overly
fearful, worried, or anxious. People whose fears are too intense or last too long
might need help and support to overcome them.

Phobias

A phobia is an intense fear reaction to a particular thing or a situation. With
a phobia, the fear is out of proportion to the potential danger. But to the person
with the phobia, the danger feels real because the fear is so very strong.

Phobias cause people to worry about, dread, feel upset by, and avoid the things
or situations they fear because the physical sensations of fear can be so intense.
So having a phobia can interfere with normal activities. A person with a phobia
of dogs might feel afraid to walk to school in case he or she sees a dog on the way.
Someone with an elevator phobia might avoid a field trip if it involves going on an
elevator.

A girl with a phobia of thunderstorms might be afraid to go to school if the
weather forecast predicts a storm. She might feel terrible distress and fear when
the sky turns cloudy. A guy with social
phobia experiences intense fear of public speaking or interacting, and may be
afraid to answer questions in class, give a report, or speak to classmates in the
lunchroom.

It can be exhausting and upsetting to feel the intense fear that goes with having
a phobia. It can be disappointing to miss out on opportunities because fear is holding
you back. And it can be confusing and embarrassing to feel afraid of things that others
seem to have no problem with.

Sometimes, people get teased about their fears. Even if the person doing the teasing
doesn't mean to be unkind and unfair, teasing only makes the situation worse.

What Causes Phobias?

Some phobias develop when someone has a scary experience with a particular thing
or situation. A tiny brain structure called the amygdala (pronounced:
uh-MIG-duh-luh) keeps track of experiences that trigger strong emotions. Once a certain
thing or situation triggers a strong fear reaction, the amygdala warns the person
by triggering a fear reaction every time he or she encounters (or even thinks
about) that thing or situation.

Someone might develop a bee phobia after being stung during a particularly scary
situation. For that person, looking at a photograph of a bee, seeing a bee from a
distance, or even walking near flowers where there could be a bee can all
trigger the phobia.

Sometimes, though, there may be no single event that causes a particular phobia.
Some people may be more sensitive to fears because of personality traits they are
born with, certain genes they've inherited, or situations they've experienced. People
who have had strong childhood fears or anxiety may be more likely to have one or more
phobias.

Having a phobia isn't a sign of weakness or immaturity. It's a response the brain
has learned in an attempt to protect the person. It's as if the brain's alert system
triggers a false alarm, generating intense fear that is out of proportion to the situation.
Because the fear signal is so intense, the person is convinced the danger is greater
than it actually is.

Overcoming Phobias

People can learn to overcome phobias by gradually facing their fears. This is not
easy at first. It takes willingness and bravery. Sometimes people need the help of
a therapist to guide them through the process.

Overcoming a phobia usually starts with making a long list of the person's fears
in least-to-worst order. For example, with a dog phobia, the list might start with the
things the person is least afraid of, such as looking at a photo of a dog. It will
then work all the way up to worst fears, such as standing next to someone who's petting
a dog, petting a dog on a leash, and walking a dog.

Gradually, and with support, the person tries each fear situation on the list —
one at a time, starting with the least fear. The person isn't forced to do anything
and works on each fear until he or she feels comfortable, taking as long as needed.

A therapist could also show someone with a dog phobia how to approach, pet, and
walk a dog, and help the person to try it, too. The person may expect terrible things
to happen when near a dog. Talking about this can help, too. When people find that
what they fear doesn't actually turn out to be true, it can be a great relief.

A therapist might also teach relaxation practices such as specific ways of breathing,
muscle relaxation training, or soothing self-talk. These can help people feel comfortable
and bold enough to face the fears on their list.

As somebody gets used to a feared object or situation, the brain adjusts how it
responds and the phobia is overcome.

Often, the hardest part of overcoming a phobia is getting started. Once a person
decides to go for it — and gets the right coaching and support — it can
be surprising how quickly fear can melt away.